NCTAOpposes Net Neutrality Rules

The NationalCable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) has split thedifference between those who want the FCC to apply its networkneutrality rules to wireless broadband and specialized services(the Open Internet Coalition, for example), and those who want the FCCto apply them to neither (AT&T).

In commentsfiled at the FCC Tuesday, NCTA said that the FCC should not expand andcodify its network neutrality rules, period. But if it does, the cabletrade group says, it should apply them onlyto a "clearly defined broadband Internet access service" and not amanaged service, which is not delivered via the public Internet.

And NCTAargues that what is sauce for the wired ISP ought to be sauce forwireless broadband providers. NCTA says it would be "arbitrary andcapricious" to apply rules to wired ISPS while exemptingwireless gateways, not to mention, though NCTA actually did, that itwould provide a regulatory advantage to the wireless providers.

Andextending the comparison, NCTA said that the same net neutrality rulesshould also apply to search engines and other content gateways,particularly transparency and disclosure rules the FCC hasproposed adding to its current four Internet openness principles.

The FCCproposal has was made last fall, but the BitTorrent court decisioncalling its broadband regulatory authority into question has delayedaction. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has the necessarythree votes for approval.

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